It surprises many new clients when they discover that for most campaigns, we don't recommend personalizing the cover letter. Instead, we typically choose to use a generic salutation such as "Dear MIS Professional." Truth is, personalizing the letter can increase response, but in direct tests for business-to-business, high-tech clients, we've shown that the difference in response is often negligible, and usually not enough to offset the additional cost. In other words, a generic letter usually results in a lower cost per lead.

Letters aside, we typically recommend personalizing both the outer envelope and the reply card. A personalized, closed-face envelope (using laser or impact printing, never inkjet) raises response as much as 15 percent compared to a window envelope. Personalizing the reply card increases response by eliminating the need for the respondent to fill in his or her name, address, etc. Plus it's a simple way to assign a keycode to each record (for tracking purposes) by printing it onto the reply card along with the address block.

One exception to this "personalization doesn't pay" rule is when targeting high-level executives (VP and above), particularly at large corporations. Or when you have a finite audience and your priority isn't so much cost per lead but rather gaining the maximum response possible from your target group. In any situation, personalization is an easy test -- simply send half your letters personalized and half "generic", code the reply cards accordingly, and gauge the results for yourself.